This invention relates to a clock, and more particularly concerns a clock whose face is provided with a centered representation of the sun and a depiction of earth rotatively driven about the sun by the mechanism of the clock that indicates seconds of time.
Conventional techniques for displaying time are well known to all and include numerical displays, rotating hands, and the like. Clocks which further provide moving displays for educational purposes or visual attractiveness are also well known. The depiction of aspects of the solar system on clock faces has been disclosed, but such clocks are either of complex construction or involve minimal movement of the visually attractive components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,864 discloses a clock wherein a spherical representation of the earth is caused to rotate about a stationary central depiction of the sun. During such rotation, the earth sphere also spins on its axis, thereby providing a realistic display of actual solar system motions. However, said display is activated by two gears which necessitate a costly precision construction.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a clock which realistically depicts movement of the earth around the sun.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a clock as in the foregoing object wherein depictions of clouds and the moon are shown in movement with respect to a depiction of earth.
It is a still further object of this present invention to provide a clock of the aforesaid nature amenable to economical manufacture by way of simple modification of clocks of conventional design. These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.